Ivano-Frankivsk

Ivano-Frankivsk
Івано-Франківськ

Flag

Coat of arms
Map of Ukraine with Ivano-Frankivsk highlighted.
Ivano-Frankivsk
Map of Ukraine with Ivano-Frankivsk highlighted.
Coordinates:
Country
Oblast
Raion
 Ukraine
Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
Ivano-Frankivsk Municipality
Founded 1650
City rights 1662
Government
 • Type Executive Committee - City Council
 • Mayor Viktor Anushkevychus (UPP)
Area
 • City 83.73 km2 (32.3 sq mi)
Elevation 244 m (801 ft)
Population (2009)
 • Density 2,752/km2 (7,127.6/sq mi)
 • Metro 240,768
Postal code 76000
Area code(s) +380 342
Sister cities Tomaszów Mazowiecki
Website www.mvk.if.ua

Ivano-Frankivsk (Ukrainian: Івано-Франківськ; formerly Stanyslaviv,[1] Stanislau, or Stanisławów see below) is a historic city located in the western Ukraine.[2] It is the administrative centre of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast (province), and is designated as its own separate raion (district) within the oblast, municipality.

Built in the mid 17th century as a private fortress of the Potocki family, with the partition of Poland in 1772 was passed to the Habsburg Empire, after which it became a property of the State authorities of the Austrian Empire. It was during that time when the fortress was transformed into one of the most prominent cities at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. After the World War I for a short stint it served a temporary capital of the West Ukrainian People's Republic, after fall of which Stanislawow became part of the Second Polish Republic. At the dawn of the World War II the city was "liberated" by the Soviet forces that were soon overran by the Nazi Germany. With the liberation of Ukraine in 1944, in the city for the next 45 years was established the Soviet regime. Few years before the fall of the Soviet Union in the city was raised the blue-yellow flag as the symbol of the independent Ukraine.

A city visitor may find elements of various cultures intertwined within Ivano-Frankivsk, the Polish Rathaus, the Austrian city's business center, the Soviet panel multi-stories residential apartment buildings at the city's urban-rural fringe, and others. The city is the third in population amongst other cities in the Carpathian Euroregion, yielding only to Lviv and Košice.

Contents

Name

Stanisławów was founded as a fortress in 1650 and was named after the Polish hetman Stanisław "Rewera" Potocki, although other sources claim it is named after his grandson (see History of Ivano-Frankivsk). In 1772 its name was transliterated into German as Stanislau when it became part of the Austrian Empire and later Austria-Hungary; however, after the revolution of 1868 the city carried three different linguistic renderings of its name: German, Polish, and Ruthenian (German: Stanislau; Polish: Stanisławów; Ukrainian: Станиславів, Stanyslaviv). Other spellings used in the local press-media included: Russian: Станиславов and Yiddish: סטאַניסלאוו. After World War II it was changed by the Soviet authorities into the simplified version Stanislav (Ukrainian: Станіслав; Russian: Станислав). In 1962, on the city's 300th anniversary, it was renamed to honour the Ukrainian writer Ivan Franko. Due to the city's over-sized name, unofficially it is sometimes called simply Franyk[3] by its residents. Even though Ivano-Frankivsk is the officially accepted name, the city's original name was never fully abandoned and/or forgotten and can be found throughout the city in all kinds of variations.

Name change

History

Timeline

• 1650–1662: establishing a private fortress of Potocki and seeking the Magdeburg rights

• 1662–1772: Stanisławów, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (within the Kingdom of Poland),

• 1772–1809: Stanislau, Austrian Monarchy (within the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria),

• 1809–1815: Stanislav, Russian Empire,

• 1815–1918: Stanislau, Austrian Empire, then Austria–Hungary,

• November 1918 – May 1919: Stanyslaviv, West Ukrainian National Republic,

• May 1919 – September 1939: Stanisławów, Poland, seat of the Stanisławów Voivodship,

• October 1939 – June 1941: Stanyslaviv, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic,

• July 1941 – August 1944: Stanislau, seat of the Stanislau Kreis, Distrikt Galizien, Generalgouvernement,

• August 1944–1991: Stanislav, (renamed in 1962: Ivano-Frankivsk), oblast seat, Ukrainian SSR,

• Post–1991: Ivano-Frankivsk, independent Ukraine.

Climate and Geography

As is the case with most of Ukraine, the climate is moderate continental with warm summers, and fairly cold winters. The following climate date provided for the past 19 years. The average number of days with precipitation is 187 spread almost equally throughout a year. Most of precipitation takes place during the winter months and least - early fall. Thunderstorms occur mostly in summer months averaging around 25 annually. Ivano-Frankivsk averages about 296 days of fog or misty days with about 24 per month.

The city is situated in the Carpathian region north east of the mountain range, sitting approximately 120 metres (390 ft) above mean sea level.[6] One of the several main geographical features is the Vovchynets Hill also known as the Vovchynets Mountains. The hill reaches 300-350 metres (1,150 ft) above the sea level and is part of the Pokuttya Highland (Upland). Around the hill Bystrytsia River branches into Bystrytsia of Nadvirna, Bystrytsia of Solotvyn, and Vorona. The last two rivers serve a natural border between the Pokuttya Highland and Stanislav Basin. The Vovchynets Hill is located just outside and north-east of Ivano-Frankivsk. South-east from the Stanislav basin in the direction of the Prut Valley is located the Khorosnen (Prut-Bystrytsia) Highland. The highest point of that highland is the mount Hostra 425 metres (1,394 ft).

The closest neighboring city is Tysmenytsia that lies less than 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the east. Another cities that lay in the radius of 25–30 km (less than 20 mi) are Tlumach (east), Nadvirna (south), Kalush (west), and Halych (north).

Population and demographics

Historical populations
Year Pop. ±%
1732 3,300
1792 5,448 +65.1%
1849 11,000 +101.9%
1869* 14,786 +34.4%
1880 18,626 +26.0%
1900* 27,012 +45.0%
1910* 29,850 +10.5%
1914 64,000 +114.4%
1921 51,391 −19.7%
1931 60,626 +18.0%
2007 222,538 +267.1%
2008 223,634 +0.5%
2009 224,401 +0.3%

Note: Historical population record is taken out of Ivano-Frankivsk portal (Ukrainian), more recent - the Regional Directorate of Statistics (Ukrainian). There is also other information on a population growth such as the Jewishgen.org. With asterisk there are identified years of approximate data. In the 18th century differentiation among Poles and Ukrainians was conducted on the religious backgrounds rather than on ethnic (Catholics vs. Orthodox).

1732 Population
  • Slavs – 1,518
  • Jews – 1,420
  • Armenians – 333
  • not known – 29
1792 Population
  • Slavs – 2,526
  • Jews – 2,412
  • Armenians – 510
1869 Population
  • Jews – 8,088
  • Poles – 4,221
  • Ukrainians – 2,236
  • others – 186
  • Armenians – 55
1880 Population
  • Jews – 10,023
  • Poles – 5,584
  • Ukrainians – 2,794
  • Germans – 135
  • Armenians – 90
1900 Population
  • Jews – 13,826
  • Poles – 8,334
  • Ukrainians – 4,606
  • Germans – 149
  • Armenians – 58
  • Czech – 39
1910 Population
  • Jews – 15,161
  • Poles – 9,065
  • Ukrainians – 5,624
1921 Population
  • Poles – 21,581
  • Jews – 20,208
  • Ukrainians – 8,441
  • Germans – 1,076
  • others – 74
  • Czech – 11

Infrastructure

Public trasportation

The city of Ivano-Frankivsk has an extensive network of public transport including buses, trolleybuses, and taxis (marshrutka). There are nine trolleybus routes and about 52 for regular buses. Some of the routes run beyond the city into nearby villages.

Railway transportation

There is one railway terminal locally known as Vokzal. There are also smaller rail stations in adjacent villages, including Uhryniv and Khryplyn. All of them are part of Lviv Railways.

Bus transportation

Until 2008 the railway terminal also housed a bus terminal which provided several inter-city bus routes, including some to international destinations. In 2000 construction work began on a new bus terminal next to the railway terminus on Zaliznychna Street. Inauguration of the new bus terminal took place on May 22, 2010. At the opening ceremony the mayor of the city, Viktor Anushkevichus, noted that the new bus terminal was only partially completed, and for a period it would be necessary to offload passengers at the Pryvokzalna Square, which is already saturated with traffic. He also emphasised the need for another bus station on the outskirts of the city.[7]

Airways transportation

The city is served by the Ivano-Frankivsk International Airport, which was granted international status in 1992. The airport shares its facilities with the 114 Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Force. Since 2002 the airport has been leased to the private enterprise company Yavson, and from 2005 the Public limited company Naftokhimik Prykarpattia, a (subsidiary of Ukrnafta). The contract with Naftokhimik Prykarpattia expires in 2013.

Lodging

There area many lodging options in Ivano-Frankivsk. Ivano-Frankivsk has one four-star hotel ("Park Hotel") and three three-star hotels ("Nadia", "Auscoprut", "Pid Templem").

Streets

Full list of renamed streets (Ukrainian)

All street names reflecting the city's Soviet or Russian past have been returned to their former names, or given new names of national historic importance, or other non-contriversial name. For example, Gagarin Street (connecting the city with its suburbs) became Vovchynets Street, Suvorov Street is now Harbar Street, and Soviet Street is Nezalezhnist (Independence) Street.

Around 100 other streets were renamed.

Important transportation arteries

Routes

The city of Ivano-Frankivsk is located on the intersection of three major national (Ukraine) routes: H18, H09, and H10. There also is one important regional route T09-06. All the H-routes eventually connect to E50.

City Squares

The city has seven main city squares four of them located in the "old town" part of the city.

Rural-urban fringe districts

As a lot of regional centers in Ukraine and the former Soviet Union, Ivano-Frankivsk is also notorious for its rural-urban fringe panel building residential districts.

Administration

Both city and oblast administrations as well as the regional council are all located in a massive white building on the Hrushevsky Street locally known as Bily Dim or Bily Budynok. In front of the building is a big open space bordered by Shpytalna Street on the north-east, Hrushevsky Street on the south-east, and Melnychuk Street on the south-west. Next to the building is located a memorial to the Unification of the Western Ukraine with the rest of Ukraine. The main feature of the memorial is a tall marble stele, on the both sides of which are located statues: kamenyar (west) and kobzar (east).

City's Council

The city's council currently consists of 60 deputies. The political representation of the V convocation by political bloks was elected as such: Our Ukraine 22 (Our Ukraine 9, Rukh 8, United Centre 1, Industrialists and Entrepreneurs 2, no affiliation 2), BYuT 17 (Batkivschyna 14, USDP 2, no affiliation 1), Ukrainian People's Party 14 (UPP 3, CUN 1, United Centre 3, Sobor 1, no affiliation 6), Party of Regions 4 (Party of Regions 3, no affiliation 1), PORA 3 (PORA 2, no affiliation 1).

Recent city mayors

Education

The city has over 25 public schools of general education for grades 1 through 11. Aside of them there are some privately owned schools and lyceums. The city also has several professional public institutes.

There also numerous sports schools: Fitness Sport Association "Ukraine" - 5 schools, MVK - 3 schools, Fitness Sport Association "Spartak" - 2 schools, Fitness Sport Association "Kolos" - 1 school, others.

Universities

The city has six universities, the Ivano-Frankivsk Institute of Management that is a local campus of the Ternopil National Economic University, and the Ivano-Frankivsk Institute of Management and Economics "Halytska Akademia". All of those universities are state funded.

  1. Prykarpattia National University of Vasyl Stefanyk
  2. Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas (University of Oil and Gas)
  3. Ivano-Frankivsk State Medical University
  4. Ivano-Frankivsk University of Law of the King Danylo Halytsky
  5. Ivano-Frankivsk Theological Academy of Greek-Catholic Church
  6. West-Ukrainian University of Economics and Law

Culture and sports

National Landmarks

Other attractions

Architecture

Theaters

Former

City Parks

Night Life

Sports

Ivano-Frankivsk is home to a number of sports teams. Most notably it was home to the football club FC Spartak Ivano-Frankivsk (Prykarpattya) that participated on the national level since 1950s. Since 2007 the club only fields its youth team Spartak-93 and competes at the Children-Youth Football League of Ukraine. The former president of Spartak Anatoliy Revutskiy reorganized the local university (University of Nafty i Hazu) team in 2007 into the new "FSK Prykarpattia" with support of the city mayor Anushkevichus making it the main football club in the region and replacing Spartak. Previously during the interbellum period the city was home to another football club that was based on the local Polish garrison and was called Rewera Stanisławów (1908). That club competed at a regional level that has evolved at that period. With the start of the World War II that club was disbanded. During the Soviet period among several others there was another club "Elektron" that successfully participated at a regional level around 1970s.

The city also is the home to a futsal team, PFC Uragan Ivano-Frankivsk, that competes in the Ukrainian Futsal Championship. They are the current the Ukrainian champions having won the 2010/11 season playoffs and therefore took part in the 2011–12 UEFA Futsal Cup for the first time. The city had a Ice hockey team, HC Vatra Ivano-Frankivsk, which previously played in the Ukrainian Hockey Championship.

Ivano-Frankivsk is also the hometown of Ukrainian gymnasts one of them Dariya Zgoba who won gold on the Uneven Bars in the 2007 European Championships as well as a finalist on the Beijing Olympics and another - Yana Demyanchuk, who won gold on the balance beam at the 2009 European Championships.

Other clubs include:

Main Stadiums and Sport Complexes

City's radio, television, press media

Press
Radio
Television

Notable people

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Ivano-Frankivsk is twinned with 22 cities and one county:[13]

Local orientation
Regional orientation

See also

References

Bibliography

Notes

  1. ^ The Sad End of the Orange Revolution, Der Spiegel (January 14, 2010)
  2. ^ "The City of Ivano-Frankivsk". sbedif.if.ua. http://www.sbedif.if.ua/city/src/city.en.htm. Retrieved March 7, 2010. 
  3. ^ Informational portal of the Region (Ukrainian)
  4. ^ "Weatherbase for Ivano-Frankivsk". http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=62533&refer=. Retrieved November 22, 2010. 
  5. ^ "Клімат Івано-Франківська". http://www.meteoprog.ua/ua/climate/IvanoFrankivsk/. Retrieved April 5, 2011. 
  6. ^ "UKRAINE : general data". Populstat.info. http://www.populstat.info/Europe/ukraineg.htm. Retrieved May 5, 2009. 
  7. ^ (Ukrainian) Reporter. Ivano-Frankivsk weekly. May 25, 2010
  8. ^ (Ukrainian) About "Atelie Arkhitektury"
  9. ^ (Ukrainian) Photos of the memorial-museum at skyscrapercity.com forum
  10. ^ (Ukrainian) Tsunami main website
  11. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica
  12. ^ Jerry Seinfeld, Documented Comedian, With Roots in Ellis Island – NYTimes.com
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Офіційний сайт міста Івано-Франківська" (in Ukrainian). mvk.if.ua. http://www.mvk.if.ua/news/4114/. Retrieved March 7, 2010. 
  14. ^ "Serwis informacyjny UM Rzeszów – Informacja o współpracy Rzeszowa z miastami partnerskimi". www.rzeszow.pl. http://www.rzeszow.pl/wspolpraca-miedzynarodowa/informacja-o-wspolpracy-rzeszowa-z-miastami-partnerskimi/668,informacja-o-wsp-lpracy-rzeszowa-z-miastami-partnerskimi.html. Retrieved February 2, 2010. 
  15. ^ "Zielona Góra – Partner Cities". © 2008 Urzędu Miasta Zielona Góra.. http://www.zielona-gora.pl/umzg/index.php?id=1111&lng=pl. Retrieved December 7, 2008. 
  16. ^ "Rybnik Official Website – Twin Towns". (in English) © 2008 Urząd Miasta Rybnika, ul. Bolesława Chrobrego 2, 44–200 Rybnik. http://www.rybnik.pl/index.php?id=324. Retrieved November 1, 2008. 
  17. ^ "Побратимские связи г. Бреста" (in Russian). city.brest.by. http://city.brest.by/article_in.php?id=1464&tc=26&tc2=31. Retrieved March 8, 2010. 
  18. ^ Побратимские связи г. Бреста.
  19. ^ "Opole Official Website – Twin Towns". (in English and Polish) © 2007–2009 Urząd Miasta Opola. http://www.opole.pl/miasto/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=20&Itemid=108. Retrieved June 18, 2009. 

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